Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1887-02-05
AHUN1ER,s EXPERIENCE.

"A nONIEhS
He Relates How He Chased the Festlve
Deer for Many Weary Hours and Then
Got Left.
Captain L. J. Perry.
One of my early experiences will show
an interesting phase o. deer hunting,
and how the science is learned. When
was small boy about IL years old,
remember of accompanying my father on
many of his deer hunts near home In the
Galien woods Cd the lake shore in south
western Michigan, before our removal to
Wisconsin. He was pretty skilful as
well as lucky deer hunter; always full
OF resources and perfectly tireless'
When the first ''tracking snow" came
one of his schemes WIS to have me take
the fresh trail OF deer with large COW
bell, while he would make rapid detous
to the right and left to ''cut off" the
game. NY business was to follow slowly
and steadily on the track, ringing the
bell regularly as if attached to a COW
feeding, until he killed the deer or gave
up the chase. Now, deer are not timid
In the neighborhood of domestic animals,
and will readily mix with cattle especial
ly; besides this they have an extraor-
binary curiosity and like to actually see
or smell any unusual object before max
ing of. The trick of the bell was to
chain the deer's attention to the back
track with it's clangor, while the real
hunter was coming up on his flank or
rear. The ringing of the bell kept the
hunter constantly informed as to the
general direction of the trail, which
made it easy for him to ''circle' and cut
off his game.
I once SO followed large deer from
morning till dark, during which time my
father got numerous but long shots with
his muzzle-loading squirrel rife, but
failed to wound and bring him down,
and we finally gave up the chase at dark
and went home sopping wet from the
melting snow, hungry and completely
baf1ed. The old man was disruntled,
while my young legs were So tired IT,
ward night that could hardly waddle
through the snow, especially after the
excitement of the chase was over. It was
a stout old buck we pursued this day,
and 40 cunning as the devil is reputed
to be. But observed this: Early in
the day, when the deer was fresh, when
ever we started him he would run long
way before stopping to walk or feed and
listen for the bell again, which generally
afforded my father chance for shot.
We steadily pursued, and this game was
repeated over and over again during the
day, until at last late in the afternoon
the buck became so worried that I very
often came in sight of him; true, father
and were also very tired, but he was
far more so than We. On sight of us he
dashed away, but would soon stop again
on some knoll or favorable piece of
ground and watch for his enemies. This
was continued until night came and re-
ieved him from the "pressure." One
peculiar thing about this incident was
the fact that at no time during the chase
did the deer lead us over three miles
from home.
This early lesson taught me that q
man has more endurance than deer, as
he has indeed more than almost any
other animal known in natural history.
This knowledge is made useful by many
professional still-hunters. It is recount
ed Of hunter named Madison of New
London, Wis, that it was his invariable
method after jumping" deer early in
the morning to take the track like
bloodhound at dog trot, even running
some of the time, and follow it all day
il necessary. He was almost certain to
kill his deer sometimes by lucky acct
dent early in the day, but generally lat
or when the animal became too tired to
make very long runs from his relentless
pursuer, and SO finally fell victim to
;Malhson's gun and endurance. These
are well-known facts in "deerology."
During recent hunt in Wisconsin, I
determined when good tracking snow
fell to try Mallison's method of running
down" dear. About the middle of
November good soft snow came, and a
favorable opportunity was offered me to
give the plan trial. Ed. Mitchler,
Lutte Perry and started out early one
to have run with our hound,
Custer. The dog soon began to work
the tracks of three deer-a doe and two
fawns-where they had browsed along
the edge of large white cedar swamp,
about two miles from camp, the night
previous. The snow was nearly foot
ieep. Deer when started by dog in.
sariably get on their regular "runways,"
generally lying en- the high grounds,
aDound and between swamps and marshes
and along creeks and rivers. Once
deer is started, it is the huntsman's bust
ness to act decieively; to use both his
Judgment and instinct promptly, and If
sSssible place himself where the game
IS likely to pass on one of these run
ways. Lutte and Ed, following the dog
closely, kept along the edge of the
swamp, expecting him to start the deer
Hose by, wkle I took to the ridges half